Article cases, also referred to as cartons, boxes or the like are used to contain a plurality of smaller articles such as cans, boxes, etc., for handling and shipment in commerce, for example from an original manufacturer or other original packager through various channels of commerce to a retailer who will generally remove the articles from the case for sale to the ultimate consumer.
Generally, when cases of this type are filled they are permanently closed. Then the retailer or the like whose task it is to open the case for distribution of the plurality of smaller articles will by necessity open at least the closure portion of the case. Since these types of cases generally are not easy to open, it is generally necessary to destroy the closure portion, after which it is not possible to reclose the case to secure the articles nearly as well as the original closure portion.
For example, a typical article case made of corrugated cardboard generally comprises inner and outer closure flaps which are glued together to permanently close the case. The retailer or the like, in order to open the case, would either separate the outer closure flaps from the inner closure flaps or simply cut off the entire top. In either situation, it is not generally possible to reclose that case to secure the articles as well as the original closure.
However, a need frequently exists for intercepting an article case of this type intermediate through its usual travel in commerce to open and gain access to the articles within the case and then subsequently reclose the case to secure the articles for further shipping and/or handling of the case. For example, its travel in commerce from the original manufacturer or other original packager to the retailer might include a distribution center; and it is frequently desirable to open these cases at the distribution center to place pricing or other information on the plurality of articles contained within the case. When this occurs, it is necessary to reclose the case so that the plurality of articles within the case remain secure for the remainder of the necessary shipping and/or handling.
At present, in order to open and reclose an article case of the type having inner and outer closure flaps, it is necessary to carefully separate the outer closure flaps from the inner closure flaps, breaking the adhesive bond but preferably not breaking the closure flaps themselves. Opening article cases in this way is itself a rather difficult task. After the articles are marked, if one wished to reclose the article case to firmly secure the articles, one would have to reglue the outer closure flaps to the inner closure flaps or otherwise tie the case closed. Such procedures are undesirably time consuming, costly and/or awkward.
It is known to provide article cases having special structures to permit one to open the article case at a time and place intermediate its usual travel in commerce to inspect the contents thereof and then to reclose the case. Such articles cases are shown for example in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,712,894 and 3,142,432. However, in these known cases, the closure portions of the cases which are openable and reclosable are generally relatively loose as originally closed, and hence do not completely secure the articles during the initial stages of travel of the case in commerce. Also, these closures generally do not provide access to all of the articles within the case.
Thus, a need exists for an improved article case of the type described which can be originally closed to firmly secure the articles therein and then easily opened for access to all of the articles within the case and then easily reclosed to again firmly secure the articles therein so as to withstand further handling and/or shipping of that case in commerce.